Characteristics of COVID-19 infection in Primary Healthcare in Belgrade, Serbia and influence of socio-demographic features of the participants on vaccination status

  • Marina Fisekovic Kremic Dom zdravlja Novi Beograd
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/opmed29-41126
Keywords: COVID-19, clinical features, CRP, vaccination

Abstract


Introduction. The coronavirus pandemic began in 2019
and since then a huge number of people have been infected
worldwide. The infection symptoms are widely defined and
yet the panel of laboratory abnormalities found in infected
patients is missing.
Objective. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory
features of the COVID-19 patients in Belgrade (Serbia)
and the influence of socio-demographic features of the
participants on vaccination status.
Method. The research was performed as a cross-sectional
study from October to November 2021. The included
patients were the ones who visited the COVID outpatient
clinic of the Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) and tested
positive for Sars-CoV-2 virus infection. The data were gathered
by reviewing retrospectively the patients` health charts.
The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson`s χ2
test, and we used the SPSS 20.
Results. The research included 207 Sars-CoV-2 positive
patients, of whom 56% were of the female sex and the
majority of the participants were in the 51–60 age group
(22.7%). There were 42% of the vaccinated participants.
The most common symptoms the participants complained
of were: fever (82.1%), cough (49.8%), malaise (32.9%),
stuffed nose (29.5%), throat pain (17.9%), headache (12.1%),
body pains (11.1%), loss of smell and taste (8.2%), diarrhea
(2.4%). Pneumonia was found in 17.4% of the participants
and high CRP values in 29%.
Conclusion. The most common clinical features of the
COVID-19 patients in Belgrade (Serbia) were fever, cough,
and malaise. Pneumonia was found in 17.4% of the patients.
The majority of the patients had normal lab work but 29%
had elevated CRP. There were 42% of vaccinated patients
with either of the four available vaccines and 52.9% were
without comorbidities.

References

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Published
2023/10/04
How to Cite
Fisekovic Kremic, M. (2023). Characteristics of COVID-19 infection in Primary Healthcare in Belgrade, Serbia and influence of socio-demographic features of the participants on vaccination status. General Practice, 29(3-4), 33-40. https://doi.org/10.5937/opmed29-41126
Issue
Vol. 29 No. 3-4 (2023): GENERAL PRACTICE
Section
Original article

Copyright (c) 2023 Marina Fisekovic Kremic

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